Spectrum

Sorry I have not posted anything new for a while, i've been busy. Anyway, instead of doing a solo exhibition this semester, we had to do a group project in which we created a shop and made work to be sold in it. The aim of the project was to work together as a group and co-ordinate and organise ourselves in order to be a success.

The name of the shop was Spectrum based on theme for our shop which was colour.

Here is a press release that I wrote for the shop, although it was never offically released.

Spectrum!?

For the first time 17 up and coming art students from Sheffield Hallam University will be producing a ‘spectrum’ of art works to buy this December. Their works of art will come alive in their very own shop which opens to the public on the 8^th December until the 10^th, in the Cantor Gallery. Under the name ‘Spectrum’ the Creative Art Practice student’s will be producing a wide variety of work surrounding the Gravity Lecture series Colour. Colour is often seen as frivolous and vain, while black and white are considered serious. It is the group’s intention to reclaim its importance, demonstrate the power colour can have when used with precision in advertising and production, colour seduction is absolute, and challenge the stupidity that colour is the terrain of the ‘mere’ formalism. The works range from Limited edition prints, beautifully hand crafted pathological jewelry, exquisite hand painted cards, a selection of the finest framed Dandelion Seeds and much more. The gifts/works will be available to buy over the Christmas period and this is definitely worth a peek, only around for 3 days and with such a spectrum of different gifts you’re bound to find something to steal your attention.

Overall I would have to say that it was a success as we made a substancial amount of money. However if this were to continue to be a permanent part of the second year course, I believe a better location for the shop and a longer time period would be required.

Here are a couple of my contributions to the shop. I decided to explore the intensity of colour through the natural world.

1920's Flapper

I am so annoyed that these photographs are slightly blurry because they are my favourites. Maybe I can fix them with photoshop or something because even if I take them again I dont think I could get it the same.

Fabiola

In my Art Context lecture on the body we were looking at portraiture and a piece of work by Francis Alys. This gave me the perfect idea for my next re-creation.

Welcome to the 1940's

In these photographs Georgina reminds me of Bobby of off the Railway Children, which wasn't my intention as it was wrote in Victorian England and this was ment to be the 1940's. But I like them anyway. It is a pitty that the middle one is blurry though, maybe I could fix it with photoshop, if not i'll do a painting instead.

Medival Maiden

It was suggested that instead of taking pictures at home I should take my next photographs on location. However I dont think I got the location quite right, the sandstone of the castle was too light and didn't give me the atmosphere of the dark ages that I wanted. This was the first photo shoot that I decided to make the costume my model was wearing and I was very pleased with it and I hope to continue to design and make the costumes.

Movie Star

For some reason these photogaphs remind me of Kate Winslet on the film Titanic.

Venetian Woman

Before this current photography project I was looking at masks as I had recently been to Venice and was fascinated by them. However that project hit a dead end but I was still determined to incorporate at least one mask into my new body of work.

Girl With A Pearl Earring

At the same time I started looking at famous re-creations and wanted to do one of the Girl With A Pearl Earring. The bottom one was my first attempt with matterial I had at hand, it was a decent attemp but needed refining. After scouring various fabric shops I found the materials I was looking for and produced a much more accurate image.

Geisha

After the first two photographs I started looking at changing the identity of my sister and through that process I was able to incorporate my love of fashion and period clothing into my work.

Mirror, mirror, on the wall

When I did these pieces I was looking at the idea of identity and how mirrors can not lie to you. They show a reflection of yourself and therefore a reflection of the truth.

20th Centuary England

This centuary had so many different fashion styles within it that I decided to draw an outfit from each decade instead inorder to do it justice. We start in 1910 and finish up in 1990.

For these last few drawings I decided to use watercolours. A few of them I out lined in ball point pen because they were from dress making magazines of that era and I didn't think I would be able to do it accurately with paint.

19th Centuary England

These drawings I was really pleased with, especially the pencil drawing, it is joint favourite with the geisha one I posted earlier. I think it could have been better though, but once again I got so caught up drawing it that I forgot to change my pencils again.

18th Centuary England

With these images I think I used the wrong medium again. The top photo I spent quite some time getting the shading right and then when I put the pattern on I think I ruined it.

17th Centuary England

Not much to say about these. The're not my favourite, but the're not the worse either.

16th Centuary England

Welcome to the era of Henry the 8th and his numerous wives. Sometimes I get so into a drawing that I forget to change my pencils to the different leads like in the Henry the 8th one above.

15th Centuary England

By now you have probibly noticed that I stopped drawing the faces of the models. This is because when drawings the pictures I would spend too much time trying to get the face right. Also I think it detracted from the clothes, if I didn't draw the faces then maybe people would pay more attention to the clothes.

Medival

It was hard to know where to start the section on fashion from different eras. So I decided to start in the medival years and work forward to 1990.

India

Here is the last of the cultural clothes that I have done, I know there are alot more that I could have done but I would have be there forever.

African

I enjoyed doing the african clothes because the materials were so colourful, although it was alot or orange.

Roman/Greek

I only have one page on roman clothes, so I have decided to combine the greek and roman clothes.

Chinese

Next up chinese clothing. Don't know why I didn't finish the girl in the pink dress.

Japanese

Here is my next set of drawings based on japaneses clothing. I love the Geisha painting and im really pleased with it. However I hate the samurai one, I think I chose the wrong medium to paint it in but I thought I would show it anyway. Reminder to self, gouache is too thick for this painting.